Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Blackwood Farm (Rice, Anne, Vampire Chronicles.) by Anne Rice ISBN: 0-345-44368-3 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 30 September, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.68 (211 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Ms Rice does it again!
Comment: If there are readers who believe that Ms Rice wouldn't produce another mesmorizing tale, they're in for a rude shock. Blackwood Farm is truely one of Rice's best novel yet. Though it really can't hold a candle to Interview or Body Thief, the story of Tarquin Blackwood and his family is really just spun so well you become raptured. Quinn is just so beautiful that the reader can not help but fall in love with him. His love/hate tug of war for his doppelganger is enough to make you empathize with his character. Of course, no Anne Rice vampire tale would really be complete with out an appearance of the Brat Prince himself, Lestat. Quinn comes to Lestat, begging for aid against Goblin- his doppelganger- and even against himself. He spills the story of himself and the mysteries of Blackwood Manor. Quinn is truely a one of a kind character, opting to continue living with his family on Blackwood Manor though he is among the undead. The story also continues the growing relationship of the vampires and the Mayfair Witch Clan that began with Merrick.
If you're a Anne Rice fan, or even if you aren't and just in need of a good story, this is the ticket. I doubt you'll be disappointed. And now I'm off to read Blood Canticle...
Rating: 4
Summary: Intriguing blend of vampires and witches
Comment: Anne Rice does a much better job in "Blackwood Farm" than she did in "Merrick" in bringing together the worlds of vampires and the Mayfair witches. Quinn is an interesting, though rather naive character, and his haunting by Goblin is by turns spooky and sweetly sad. The twist to the haunting I did not see coming, and I was duly surprised, showing me that after all these years, Rice still has what it takes to keep an audience spellbound.
That said, this book still suffered from want of some editing. Some of the dialog was stilted at best, and at times downright mawkish. Also, I could see many places that Rice's writing could have been tightened. For example, she opens chapter 42 by writing, "When we returned to the palazzo, which we did by ordinary means, that is, walking, . . . " Why not write, "When we walked back to the palazzo, . . . "? I fear that editors are afraid to edit someone as famous and great as Anne Rice, forgetting that even she needs an editor. That's why they are there! Still, this book is a great read, and definitely an improvement over her last few releases.
Rating: 3
Summary: This should have been the last of "The Vampire Chronicles"
Comment: Like its predecessor, "Merrick," "Blackwood Farm" combines both the Vampire Chronicles and the Mayfair Witches saga. In this book, it's not such a bad combination.
The focus of the novel is on new vampire Quinn Blackwood's request for Lestat's aid in getting rid of a demonic doppelganger. This spirit, Goblin, has been both friend and nemesis to Quinn since childhood. Now, however, Goblin is jealous and becoming increasingly dangerous. Much of the narrative consists of Quinn telling his life story to Lestat in order to gain his help.
"Blackwood Farm" shares with "The Witching Hour" a focus on place that makes the house and surrounding swamp characters in their own right. This is good. Rice's descriptive ability is her strong suit, and it shows here. The history of the Blackwood family, much of which is told through some very unsettling ghostly encounters, is almost as interesting as that of the Mayfairs. Quinn may not have quite the elan that many of Rice's earlier characters have had, but he's adequate for the purposes of the book. Aunt Queen is a true gem, and Mona Mayfair provides vitality, as well as a love interest for Quinn.
That said, "Blackwood Farm" is not Rice's strongest book, although it's better than many of her recent ones. The major problem with the book is that it really needs tighter editing. It goes on and on and on and on, as the characters emote repetitiously. At times the narrative is over the top. At 600 plus pages in the paperback edition, the book really is too long. Cutting it by even a hundred pages would have improved it immensely and still left the kind of long, involved novel that Anne Rice's fans have come to expect.
 |
Title: Blood Canticle (The Vampire Chronicles) by ANNE RICE ISBN: 037541200X Publisher: Knopf Pub. Date: 28 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
 |
Title: Blood and Gold by Anne Rice ISBN: 0345409329 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 29 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Merrick (Vampire/Witches Chronicles) by Anne Rice ISBN: 0345422406 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 02 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Vittorio, the Vampire by Anne Rice ISBN: 0345422392 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 27 February, 2001 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: The Vampire Armand (The Vampire Chronicles, Book 6) by Anne Rice ISBN: 0345434803 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 03 October, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
